FROM THE ARCHIVES:The increasing protectionism which spread across the economy in the 1930s got to women's hats by 1937. Hat imports, already subject to stiff tariffs, were banned altogether with the probable effects described in this report.
THE BAN, published on November 13th, covers the more usual types of headdress purchased by women – felt hats – and the exemptions under the Order only cover a very small section of the trade in millinery. It is understood that the Order was introduced to afford protection for the new hat factory which has been established at Galway.
Retail drapers describe the millinery trade as the most fickle of any section of their business. Prices of hats vary from the mass-produced article at 2s. 11d. up to models costing three or four guineas, and there are some women in the City of Dublin who purchase a new hat every fortnight or every month.
Most women, say the retailers, do not buy a hat in the same way as a man does – in other words, because they really need one. The woman’s eye is caught by some style she sees in an advertisement in a newspaper or in a shop window, and goes into the shop to see whether it suits her or not. Frequently the style is unsuitable, and it is up to the assistants to exercise their salesmanship to ensure that a sale is made. As most men are aware, a woman takes a long time to select a hat; therefore, a large corps of assistants must be on hand to deal with potential customers.
If and when the imports of women’s hats are completely banned only a limited range of hats will be available for women to chose from. Under the circumstances the retailers will not require such large staffs, hence the threatened dismissals.
At the present time imports are banned – except under licence – and Irish retailers are ordering new models “subject to getting a licence to import them.” They have no idea as to what quota they will be allowed.
Women are violently opposed to the idea of buying their hats, “under the direction of the Minister for Industry and Commerce [Sean Lemass].” In the past their range of choice has been very wide.
“If Galway is to make all our hats,” said one woman, “we cannot hope for any variety. The market will be limited, and, therefore, the firm will not be able to employ many designers. The English firms have a very large market, and up to the present Irish women have been getting the benefit of it by being able to buy the same styles as the women of other countries – even though the tariff means a higher price.”
Another woman told me quite flatly that she would either “go without a hat, or go where I can make my own choice.”
When the range is limited women will naturally buy fewer hats, and, as one member of the trade told me, “the Department of Finance will be losing a great deal of money – the import duty on the hats from England and the income tax which we pay on our receipts from sales.”
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